This invention relates to a stand for supporting a copy machine or the like, and more particularly to a stand having a collating feature intended for use with copy machines.
With recent advances in technology, it has become more economically feasible for individuals and businesses of any size to purchase or lease photocopying machines. Potocopy machines, such as personal cartridge copiers, generally have a single output tray, which receives the output of copies produced by the machine. Many older model full size copiers sold during the past 20 years also operate on this principle. It is generally not economically or technologically feasible to provide an automatic collating attachment or other device for these machines which sorts and collates copies into sets corresponding to sets of original documents.
Automatic collating attachments are available as expensive options for most of the higher end, more expensive, copiers. However, these collating attachments can be a major cause of service problems and delays on many models.
It is known to support a copy machine, such as a personal cartridge copier or the like, on a table, copier stand or other such supporting surface. The table generally provides a substantial amount of extra surface area around the copier. This surface area of the table is usable when sorting a plurality of copies of pages from a multiple page original into corresponding multiple page sets of duplicates. To do this, the operator simply lays the individual copies of each sheet onto the surface of the table one on top of another This forms a plurality of stacks of copies, with each stack being a copy of the original multiple page document.
The drawback to this procedure is that a table top provides a relatively unstable surface for supporting a copier. This is due to the substantial lateral forces and vibration produced by such a copier during its operation, and the inability of a table to withstand such forces, the result of which is lateral movement of the table top. Further, such an arrangement occupies an unwarranted amount of space in an office or room, which, for some business enterprises and personal users, is at a premium.
There is thus a need for a copier stand which provides an adequate stable support for a copy machine, and also provides space usable for sorting and collating copies produced by such a machine. There is further a need for a copier stand which provides a back-up or auxiliary copy sorting and collating feature for copiers provided with an automatic collating attachment, which is capable of facilitating copy sorting and collating when the collating attachment breaks down.
The present invention addresses such needs by providing a copier stand which is stable and compact, and which incorporates a sorting feature. In accordance with the invention, a manual sorting stand for a copy machine, which is capable of producing a plurality of copies of a multi-page document, comprises a support means for supporting the copy machine and spacing the machine above a floor or similar surface. Manual collating or sorting means is connected below the support surface on which the copy machine rests. Copies of the multi-page document can be sorted and collated into the manual collating or sorting means. The support means generally includes an upper support surface on which the copy machine rests, and a support structure below the upper support surface and connected thereto, for supporting and spacing the copy machine above the floor. The manual collating or sorting means may comprise a plurality of individual sorting bins connected to the support means and disposed below the upper support surface on which the copy machine rests.
The manual sorting bins are preferably disposed in horizontal and vertical alignment, and two or more vertical rows of sorting bins are preferably provided.